I would like to talk to you about how to mature and be a SPIRITUAL BEING as God expects you to be. You got to grow into a complete person like Jesus. Do not be discouraged and think who can be like Jesus. We all can be like Him if only we try and cooperate with the Holy Spirit who has given to us for this purpose. First to transform ourselves and then to lead others. To be like Jesus is our ultimate goal. Hallelujah!
- BORN AGAIN IN SPIRIT. John 3:5-8(ESV)
Jesus said You got to be Born again in water i.e. (by water baptism) then be born again in spirit i.e (get anointed by the Holy Spirit) Jesus said John 3: 5-8, “Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the truth no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh give birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying ‘you must be born again.
The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
Like wind – those who are Born Again have no beginning and no end. Is that not great? Who is like that?God is. We are made like God Himself so we should mature and be like HIM. We were not taught that even if you are a christian we got to be Born Again spiritually. Instead they would teach like, “Go to church regularly and do all the activities there. Read Bible a lot. Pray a lot (not taught what to pray about) You know what? Even people of other religions do the same. They read their Vedas or Koran a lot and know them by heart. This is what all do in this world. What is the difference between us and them?
When you are born in a Christian family you do not become a SPIRITUAL BEING automatically. Everyone who is born into this world through any parents for that matter are born only as a PHYSICAL BEING. And that person does not have any idea about a Spiritual life. When you receive water and Holy spirit baptism you are just born into a Spiritual Being and you need to grow. We Christians seem to settle down with that. God could have taken you away when you are saved. Why are you still here? To do God’s work here. JESUS is our example; we got to follow His footsteps. (Matthew 4: 13- 17). Jesus took water baptism and was anointed by the Holy Spirit.
2) START A NEW LIFE BELIEVING IN JESUS & PUT HIM FIRST IN ALL YOU DO. 2 Corinthians 5:17-21(ESV)
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation the old has gone. The new has come.”
God made Him who had no sin to be Sin for us so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God who had no righteousness. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors as though God were making His appeal through us.
Now-a-days we give a wrong impression to people saying accept Jesus you will get all the things in this world and be very happy and blessed. But when I was born again I was taught that we are supposed to make Jesus as your Lord & Saviour. How Jesus is Lord over you? Before you are born again the centre of your life is YOU and your life revolved around you. But once you are born again you should keep JESUS as your centre of life and make a life revolving around Jesus. Jesus is our role model, He said, “I don’t do anything on my own. I will do only what My Father wants me to do.” You should do the same.John 5:19, 20; 6:38- 40.
e.g. Imagine like this in your heart there is a thrown, and YOU were sitting in it. Once you are born again make JESUS sit. And you stand next to Him and take orders. How is that? That is how you should live here after.
3) CHANGE YOUR THINKING TO CHANGE YOUR ACTION. Colossians 3:12-17(ESV)
What you think is what you are. If you know about the truth of your weaknesses and strengths that will set you free. Make changes in your ways according to the Word. Think that you are walking in victory through Jesus. If you think right you do right things. Doing the same way you were doing and expecting a different result is stupidity.
1. Clothe yourselves with good attitudes. (Philippians 2:14-15)
2. Like new born babies, crave pure spiritual milk. (1 Peter 2:1-3)
3. Let the word of God richly dwell in you. (Colossians 3:16)
4. Renew your mind with word of God. (Romans 12:1-2)
5. Find out the will of God in your life. (2 Peter 1:5-11)
6. Mature as teachers of the word of God (Hebrews 5:12-14)
Say what the word of God says about you and your position in the Lord and believe in your heart, so that by it you may grow up spiritually and by constant use, train yourselves to discern good and bad. Jesus has set examples for us to follow. He knew the scripture when He was 12 and was discussing with scholars. When you have knowledge of God only then you can try to be like Him.
4) WAIT IN HIS PRESENCE TO GET HIS DIRECTIONS. Mark 1:35(ESV)
Coming to meetings and attending churches are needed yet you need to have a quiet time with God to hear His voice clearly speaking to you. If you sit quiet and take your Bible and look into the words. You can surely hear God speaking to you. Those words are God and they have life. You all should take time read the Bible from the beginning to the end. Listening verses here and there do not help. If you sit and read you will understand very well. Do not read as a History Book saying, “Oh this is written to the disciples and Pharisees”. YOU ARE HIS DISCIPLES AND PRIESTS read as if it is written to you. Again read about JESUS who used to go to lonely places alone leaving the disciples to be with GOD HIS FATHER and get His direction. (Matthew 14:22-23)
I repeat we are to be 1) Born Again as a Spiritual being. 2) Start a New Life believing and putting Jesus first in your life. 3) Change your thinking – start thinking what you are in Christ. If you think you are a looser you will be a looser. If you think you can be victorious in life you will be victorious.
e.g. The son of King Charles, Williams is a prince right? Will he get up everyday and think whether he has enough money and provision for today and worry over it. No, he knows he inherited a fortune by just being the prince. Just like that we are the sons and daughters of KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. How should you be feeling? So think right.
5) TRUST IN GOD THAT HE IS ABLE TO MAKE THE PROMISES TO COME TO PASS. 2 Corinthians 1:19-20(ESV)
Trust that those promises will come to pass even it takes time. Once you got one promise fulfilled in your life you will get a little more faith to face another challenge in life. Likewise you go from victory to victory and glory to glory. In this way your faith level will grow. Jesus was asking the disciples, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt and worry?” He wants us to have faith in Him. I would like to summarise like this:
1. Find the truth.
2. Think right.
3. Change – keep on changing
4. Co-operate with God.
Jesus on the Calvary found it difficult in human body to take the pain and suffering of the cross but He co-operated with the Holy Spirit and got the strength. He said LET YOUR WILL BE DONE. If Jesus wanted He could have called millions of angels to stop that. But in that situation He first thought His Father God would not be pleased. Then he thought His purpose to come to this world would not be finished so He went through the cross.
You can always get rid of your bad habits and addictions. I tried and could do. All you got to do is strike at it again and again. Do not give up. Attack at the bad habits till it leaves you and it will go. You can walk sinless everyday, every moment. If you win one victory you will get more faith to go to a higher level. You are more than conquerors in Jesus, if you can co-operate with the Holy Spirit. Go from victory to victory, glory to glory. When Jesus comes to take us away we will be like HIM.